


i picture it, soft (and i ache)

by johnllauren



Series: prompts from tumblr [2]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Campaign: Graduation (The Adventure Zone), Eventual Fluff, Getting Together, Jealousy, Kissing, M/M, Miscommunication, both of those issues are resolved tho, they both have past issues but they're working through them, theyre so Soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:22:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24157315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/johnllauren/pseuds/johnllauren
Summary: “You can tell me if you were with that… lover of yours.” Fitzroy finally bites out, and he swallows hard.Argo can’t believe his luck: Fitzroy actually believes Argo has a secret lover,andhe’s provided Argo with a way to escape the situation. This is almost too good. Argo smiles sheepishly, tries to make it look genuine. “Gosh, Fitzroy, you don’t have to be so loud about it.”“I knew it!” Fitzroy says, but he sounds more angry, more melancholy, than victorious.Or, Argo tries to use his "lover" as an excuse, and Fitzroy gets jealous.
Relationships: Argo Keene/Sir Fitzroy Maplecourt
Series: prompts from tumblr [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1127183
Comments: 11
Kudos: 115





	i picture it, soft (and i ache)

**Author's Note:**

> ... it's another maplekeene fic i have no self control. my next maplekeene fic is already halfway done. i have 2 ap exams tomorrow. oops  
> prompt from [this ask](https://lafayettesass.tumblr.com/post/617967837277978624/maplekeene-prompt-fitzroy-is-jealous-about-the)  
> title from mitski's strawberry blond!

When Argo sneaks back into their dorm that night, Fitzroy is waiting for him, arms crossed, looking like a puppy might look when it’s angry. “Where were you?” Fitzroy demands, angry, but unsteady. 

“Gosh, Fitzroy, can’t a guy have his secrets?” Argo asks with a shrug, trying to laugh it off. 

Fitzroy just looks at him, exasperated and pissed. “Not when lives are at stake, Argo! My life, _the Firbolg’s_ life, hell, everyone at this school!”

“You think I’m going to kill people?” The accusation hurts. 

Fitzroy takes a deep breath to keep himself from exploding. “I - no - Argo… I don’t think you’re going to kill people. I think secrets are dangerous.” His eyes finally soften, and now he looks like a kicked puppy, and it makes something within Argo hurt. 

Argo doesn’t answer because he doesn’t know how. He knows he can’t tell Fitzroy about the unbroken chain, but it’s a lot easier to keep secrets when the person he’s keeping them from doesn’t _look_ at him like that. 

“You can tell me if you were with that… lover of yours.” Fitzroy finally bites out, and he swallows hard. 

Argo can’t believe his luck: Fitzroy actually believes Argo has a secret lover, _and_ he’s provided Argo with a way to escape the situation. This is almost too good. Argo smiles sheepishly, tries to make it look genuine. “Gosh, Fitzroy, you don’t have to be so loud about it.” 

“I knew it!” Fitzroy says, but he sounds more angry, more melancholy, than victorious. 

“Listen, Fitz, I-” 

“Fitzroy.”

“Fitzroy, I… don’t want people finding out about this. About my… lover.” 

“Gosh, don’t tell me you’re ashamed that you’re having sex.” Fitzroy says, bitter. 

“Just… leave it alone, okay?” 

“Fine.” And Fitzroy turns on his heels dramatically and disappears into his room. 

When Fitzroy enters his room, Snippers is sitting on his desk making a clacking noise. “This is fine, actually,” Fitzroy says to Snippers, which is probably evidence enough that this is not fine.

Snippers makes a trilling noise that Fitzroy imagines is of concern or empathy. 

“It’s just - uh - y’know… it’s just,” he can’t find the words. “Gods, I am talking to a crab. You don’t care.”

And Snippers just stares at him. Fitzroy tries to stay quiet, but realizes he needs an outlet, and for whatever reason talking to Snippers feels better than writing it down. Festo would say it’s because he’s connected to his magic, but Festo is kind of weird and isn’t here and Fitzroy is tired of thinking about his goddamn magic. 

Fitzroy flops down onto his bed and isn’t even rewarded with a satisfying flopping noise. 

“I hope they’re pretty.” He says aloud, to himself or Snippers or whichever god is currently listening. “I hope they’re pretty and that they give him the love he deserves.” 

It’s late, and there are classes tomorrow, but for some reason Fitzroy can’t slip into a trance. His mind is too busy thinking about Argo and his mysterious lover that he is so loathe to talk about. And he can’t help but wonder what they look like - if they’re water genasi, like Argo, or something else. He certainly doesn’t wonder if they’re an elf, or a half-elf, or if they look anything like him, or anything as silly as that, and if he does he doesn’t write it down or tell it to Snippers so there isn’t even any proof of the thought existing. 

The next day, Fitzroy returns to their dorm and heads straight into his room, shutting the door behind him. He doesn’t bother to check if either of the others are home, nor does he grab a snack from their shared stockpile like he usually does, because he would much rather sulk. On his bed. Alone. 

He has responsibilities, but the idea of doing anything that isn’t feeling sorry for himself by lying dramatically on his bed is absolutely appalling. So Fitzroy does exactly that, and he finds that staring at the ceiling and wallowing in self-pity is actually a very fun pastime. 

There’s a knock at the door, interrupting his peace. One, loud thud to be exact, and Fitzroy knows it’s the Firbolg - they had been trying to teach him how to knock, and he understands the spirit of it now, but his execution is still somewhat lacking. 

“Come in,” Fitzroy calls, sitting up and running a hand through his hair to make sure he looks as presentable and handsome as possible. 

The Firbolg enters and takes a few steps inside. “Argo wants to know if you are mad at him.” 

“Why did he send you in here instead of asking me himself?” Fitzroy asks, incredulous. 

“I… am being used as a mediator. But if this venture fails, I will assume the role of binding arbitration.” The Firbolg says. 

“Tell him to talk to me himself.” Fitzroy says, furrowing his eyebrows. “ If Argo has the _nerve_ to go gavotting around with some anonymous lover and shove it in our faces, then he should also be able to talk to us about it!” Maybe he’s speaking loudly so Argo will hear him. 

The Firbolg pauses. “Was that… a yes?” 

“I refuse to answer the question.” Fitzroy says. 

“C’mon, Fitzroy, what’s gotten into you?” Argo asks, and from the sound of it he’s right outside Fitzroy’s door. 

Fitzroy stands. “Why make the Firbolg go through the trouble of asking me if you were just gonna stand outside my door anway?” He asks, slipping past the Firbolg to leave his room, finding himself face-to-face with Argo. 

“Because… uh, because-” 

“He wanted the help of a neutral third party. A mediator.” The Firbolg clarifies. 

“Thank you, Firby. Your accounting skills are excellent.” Fitzroy says, looking at him, and the Firbolg grins from ear to ear. 

Argo takes a deep breath. “What does gavotting even mean?” 

Fitzroy opens his mouth to answer, but he’s cut off by Argo, who’s evidently still talking. 

“Is this about my lover?” Argo stumbles over the word. 

Fitzroy glares. “ _Someone_ here is telling lies and keeping secrets and sneaking around the school to make little rendezvous with some mysterious other young, presumably hot, person, and I just think-” 

“So it’s about my lover.”

“Shut up about your lover!” 

“Fitzroy, I just want to know if you’re mad at me, you’re overreact-.” 

“Really? You want to know it so much that you couldn’t even ask me yourself, you had to bring our Firbolg friend into this-” The Firbolg, upon being referenced, waves, and it makes Fitzroy smile despite the circumstances. “- and now you’re going to act like _I’m_ the one overreacting about this!” 

Argo stops, takes a breath. “Fitzroy, why don’t we both calm down and talk about this when you’re ready. I don’t want - I don’t think anyone wants you to accidentally go all… rage-mode, or whatever.” 

Fitzroy nods, and his cheeks sting. Even when they’re arguing, Argo is somehow looking out for him, and it pains Fitzroy more than anything that it makes him feel warm - feel _safe._ And safe, he has learned, is a dangerous feeling. 

Argo turns to leave, and Fitzroy finds himself extending a hand to stop him. “Argo, wait.” 

He turns around, looks at Fitzroy, but Fitzroy can’t get a read on his emotions. 

“Let’s talk about this.” Fitzroy says. 

The Firbolg brushes past both of them on his way to his and Argo’s room. “I am tired of listening to this,” he declares. “I will be in our room.” Argo thanks him on his way out, and Fitzroy waves. 

“Why don’t we… sit down,” Fitzroy says. His hand moves to cover the back of his neck nervously, and he’s looking down, but Argo nods and follows his instructions, sitting on the corner of Fitzroy’s bed. Fitzroy sits a few feet away from him, far away enough to seem normal but close enough to still be comforted by Argo’s presence. 

“Are you okay?” Argo asks, and he is nervous, playing with his hands. 

Fitzroy nods. 

They lapse into silence, but it is not the comfortable kind, and Fitzroy finds himself fidgeting. Finally, after what feels like years to both of them, Argo is able to gather the courage to ask the question he’s been waiting to ask. 

“Fitzroy, I know you’re jealous and I want to know why.” 

Fitzroy sputters. His cheeks and the tips of his ears flush red, and he wishes more than anything that they weren’t in his room right now so he could run and hide somewhere Argo couldn’t find him. But here they are, sitting on his bed, and Argo is looking at him with eyes so earnest and caring that it’s tragic, and he wants to bury his face in a pillow and cry. 

Thankfully, Argo saves him from having to speak. “I - It’s okay.” 

But Fitzroy shakes his head. “Why would it be okay?” And then whatever filter he had in his head is gone, and he’s just talking. “You’ve - you’ve got a lover, or whatever, which is fine - which is good - but obviously I’m causing a disruption if you were able to realize I’m jealous, which I am neither confirming nor denying, and to me none of that seems hunky-dory, but I guess everyone can have their own opinions so that’s cool.” 

Another pause before Argo speaks again. “Fitzroy, do you like me? Like - not friend ‘like,’ the other like.”

“What are we, kids?” 

“Fitzroy do you want to date me.” It comes out as a rush of words, and Argo is digging his nails into his palms so hard it hurts. 

“That’s why people get jealous, isn’t it?” Fitzroy has turned, now, so he doesn’t have to look at Argo. 

“What if I told you I don’t have a lover.”

Fitzroy scoffs. “I’d say that’s awfully convenient and I wouldn’t believe you.” 

Argo weighs his next words carefully. “What if I told you I pretended to have a lover because - because I wanted you to get jealous to see if you liked me?”

“Well, if you told me that I’d ask why you sneak out at night all the time.” 

“That’s for rogue lessons with Jackal. I have to learn how to sneak around in the dark. And if you don’t believe me, you can ask him, I promise.” 

“And all of that - it’s the truth?”

“I promise.” 

Fitzroy places a hand on his chest in a futile attempt to keep his heart from trying to beat out of his chest. “Why did you want to know if I like you?” He asks, trying to make the question seem as nonchalant as possible. 

“Because _I_ like you, Fitzroy.” 

That’s enough to make Fitzroy turn around and look at Argo in earnest. Argo is looking at him and his eyes are wide and honest, more honest than Fitzroy has ever seen them, and Fitzroy wants nothing more than to trust him, to trust Argo Keene, no matter how stupid that decision may prove to be. 

“Do you promise?” It leaves Fitzroy’s lips as a whisper, a plea not to hurt him asked by someone who has been hurt far too many times, and it almost makes Argo’s heart break in his chest. 

Argo is nodding before he realizes it. “I promise, Fitzroy, I promise.” 

Fitzroy is just looking at him, and slowly a smile lights up his face. It’s small, and shy, and more than a little hesitant, but it reaches his eyes and even Argo can feel the elation radiating off of him. 

“Can I kiss you?” Argo asks, and perhaps it is a silly question, but perhaps it isn’t, because it makes Fitzroy smile even wider. 

“Please,” Fitzroy responds, eyes flicking down to Argo’s lips immediately. 

Argo moves closer, and so does Fitzroy, and at first it’s a little uncomfortable because of the distance between them, but they make it work. The kiss is gentle, cautious, like a question: do you trust me? Can we make this work? Fitzroy’s lips are soft and careful against Argo’s, but the intention is there, they both want this so badly it hurts. Argo places his hand on the back of Fitzroy’s neck, and Fitzroy’s hands come to rest at Argo’s waist, and they are kissing. 

When Argo pulls away, they keep their faces only inches away from each other, staying in the same position, marveling at the situation. 

“Should I move closer?” Argo asks, and Fitzroy nods. 

So he does, and then they are sitting next to each other, thighs barely touching. Fitzroy’s entire face is red, and Argo thinks _he’s beautiful_ , and then he’s looking at Argo’s lips.

“Again?” Fitzroy asks quietly, and Argo closes the gap between them.

**Author's Note:**

> find me on tumblr [here!](https://lafayettesass.tumblr.com)


End file.
